2018 New Mexico Statutes
Chapter 22 - Public Schools
Article 12 - Compulsory School Attendance
Section 22-12-3.1 - Excused absences for pregnant and parenting students.
A. Each school district and charter school shall maintain an attendance policy that:
(1) provides at least ten days of excused absences for a student who provides documentation of the birth of the student's child and provides excused absences for any additional days missed by a pregnant or parenting student for which a longer period of absence is deemed medically necessary by the student's physician; provided that the student shall be allowed a time period to make up the work that the student missed that equals the number of days the student was absent for the birth of a child; and
(2) provides four days per semester of excused absences, in addition to the number of allowed absences for all students, for a student who provides appropriate documentation of pregnancy or that the student is the parent of a child under the age of thirteen needing care; and allows the student a time period to make up the work that the student missed that equals the number of days the student was absent.
B. The pregnant or parenting student is responsible for communicating the student's pregnancy and parenting status to the appropriate school personnel if the student chooses to disclose the information.
C. The school district or charter school shall provide a copy of the pregnant and parenting student absence policies to all students in middle, junior high and high schools.
History: Laws 2013, ch. 198, § 1.
Compiler's notes. — Section 22-12-13.1 NMSA 1978 was incorrectly compiled without the House Education Committee amendments. The corrected version of the section is set out above and includes the following changes: in Subsection A(1), after the first occurrence of "provides", added "at least", and after "of the student's child", added "and provides excused absences for any additional days missed by a pregnant or parenting student for which a longer period of absence is deemed medically necessary by the student's physician;"; and in Subsection A(2), after "provides four days", added "per semester" and after "of excused absences", added "in addition to the number of allowed absences for all students,".
Effective dates. — Laws 2013, ch. 198 contained no effective date provision, but, pursuant to N.M. Const., art. IV, § 23, was effective June 14, 2013, 90 days after the adjournment of the legislature.
